Story:Star Trek: Archer (fan series)/The Front/Act One
Act One Fade In Ext. Space (Warp speed) Archer is at high warp. Int. Briefing Room Captain Taylor is briefing the crew on the mission. Capt. Taylor: Sector four hundred thirty-two Starfleet wrestled control of this sector from the Dominion, and their currently holding it from them but they are having issues with keeping it under Federation control so Starfleet Command has ordered us to reinforce their lines. Martin looks at her. Cmdr. Martin: Captain this was the fourth attack in two weeks. We've lost three crew members to the Dominion/Cardassian Alliance, a dozen more have sustained serious injuries. The ship has taken so much damage we'll be lucky that the warp drive doesn't fail again. And we can count on the fact that they will be back. Mason looks at him. Ltjg. Mason: Our shields are at 65%, we've got one forward torpedo launcher and working on phasers they'll be a day away. Taylor sat down in the front chair. Capt. Taylor: I know we're in bad shape but we need to help the fifth fleet before we lose the sector to them, let's get this ship battle ready dismissed. The senior staff leaves the briefing room. Cut to: Ext. Space Archer slows to impulse speed. Capt. Taylor (vo):Captain's log stardate 54789.4. The Archer has arrived to sector 432 to meet up with the fifth fleet, to get an upper hand against the Dominion/Cardassian Alliance forces after the fall of Deep Space 9 and the massacre at Tyra. I can still picture Admiral D'gret's face the horror on his face when his ship was on the verge of being destroyed but this war needs to change to the side of the Federation-Klingon Alliance I just hope we can win this war. Int. Main Bridge Captain Taylor gets up from the Captain's Chair and turns to Ensign Y'Nar. Capt. Taylor: Ensign hail the fifth fleet's flagship. She inputs commands into the console. Capt. Taylor: This is Marcia Taylor Captain of the Federation Starship USS Archer we're here at the request of Admiral Ross, and we came to help out with your Jem'Hadar issue. Vice Adm. Salok (vo): This Admiral Salok to Archer welcome to the frontlines assume formation and await further orders, Gibraltar out Taylor looks at Kaye. Capt. Taylor: Ensign you heard the Admiral. Kaye inputs commands into the console. Ens. Kaye: Aye, Captain getting into formation with the fifth fleet. She looks at Martin. Capt. Taylor: Now we sit, wait and hope for the best. Ext. Space (Sector 432) The Archer is in formation with the fifth fleet awaiting the arrival of the oncoming storm of the Dominion/Cardassian Alliance fleet. Int. Briefing Room Captain Taylor, Commander Martin, Ensign Kaye, Ensign Y'Nar, Lieutenant Mason, Lieutenant Commander Williams, Lieutenant Commander T'Shar and Doctor Langford are at the table. Capt. Taylor: Starfleet now believes the Cardassians and their new Dominion allies are preparing to invade this sector, I'm convinced their invasion fleet should be here in under three hours, I intend to hit them before they reach us. Commander Williams looks at her. Ltcmdr. Williams: Captain, what if you're wrong? what if intelligence is wrong? She looks at her. Capt. Taylor: Then we'll warn the rest of the fleet, Mr. Mason prepare a series of five hundred antimatter mines with magnetic targeting capabilities. He nods at her then Commander Martin looks at her. Cmdr. Martin: What if they get the idea that we're trying to stop them? She looks at him. Capt. Taylor: I know this is just a hunch but we need to show the Dominion that we're not backing down. Doctor Langford looks at her. Dr. Langford: You're still gambling hundreds of lives. T'Shar puts her hand on his. Ltcmdr. T'Shar: Paul. Taylor looks at him. Capt. Taylor: Doctor we're at war and we need to get any advantage we can against the Dominion/Cardassian Alliance. She then turns to Williams. Capt. Taylor: Steph, we're going to need the hull specially outfitted to operate in the nebula by fourteen hundred hours. Paul, you'll need to. He gives her a serious look. Dr. Langford: Have sickbay ready for the casualties you're about to send me. She nods at him. Capt. Taylor: Dismissed. The senior staff leaves the briefing room as Commander Martin remains. Capt. Taylor: Something else to add Commander. He gets up. Cmdr. Martin: I didn't want the others to hear what I have to say. She looks at him. Capt. Taylor: What's on your mind John? He looks at her. John: You should of heard Paul's recommendation and yet you threw it to the side. She looks at him. Marcia: John we're at war hundred's of lives are depending on what we do next, we've lost 98 ships in the 7th fleet at Tyra, I don't have time to second guess myself. He walks over to her. John: Marcia as first officer it's my job to give you advice and in my advice you should of listen to what Langford should of said. Martin leaves the briefing room as Taylor thinks. Cut to: Ext. Space (Sector 432) The Archer leaves formation and heads towards the nebula. Int. Main Bridge (yellow alert) The crew are at their stations. Ens. Kaye: We're entering the nebula now Captain. At the Engineering console. Ltcmdr. Williams: The hull is modified we've got an hour before it starts to fail. Taylor turns to Mason. Capt. Taylor: Lieutenant launch the mines. He launches the mines. Ext. Space Archer launches the mines and they attached to the asteroids in the cloud. Int. Main Bridge (yellow alert) Ltjg. Mason: All mines have been launched Captain. Taylor then turns to Ensign Kaye and then at Ensign Y'Nar. Capt. Taylor: Take us behind one of the rocks and shutdown all non-essential systems to lower our power reading, send our reports to the Admiral as we're waiting for the enemy fleet. Both officers comply the lights dimmed. Capt. Taylor: Now we sit, wait, and hope for the best. Cut to: Ext. Space (Nebula) Archer is in the nebula behind one of the asteroid rocks. Int. Ready Room (low light) Captain Taylor is sitting at her desk looking over ship and crew status reports when the doors chimed. Capt. Taylor: Come. The doors opened and Commander Martin walks in with a padd. Cmdr. Martin: So far so good nothing on long range scanners, and the hull modifications are holding still but Commander Williams is still keeping an eye out on the hull. She looks at him. Capt. Taylor: (sighs) ugh what wouldn't I give to face them right now what up with the padd. He hands it to her. Cmdr. Martin: Our CMO filed a complaint to Starfleet Command about your decision to mine the nebula cloud and await the fleet, (sits in the chair in front of desk) he's a good man his file is clean no sign of reprimands at his last five posts. She looks at the padd. Capt. Taylor: (looks at the padd) Huh I'm overbearing? Martin shrugged his shoulders. Cmdr. Martin: His words not mine (smiles) She puts the padd down. Capt. Taylor: He thinks this gamble is risking the thousands of lives on the outpost. Then the com activates. Ltjg. Mason (OC): Captain Taylor to the bridge. Both Captain Taylor and Commander Martin leave the ready room. Int. Main Bridge (yellow alert) Captain Taylor and Commander walk onto the bridge and stood behind Kaye at the conn. Capt. Taylor: Report? Mason looks at her. Ltjg. Mason: Sensors picked up a warp signature it appears to be Federation but can't make it out through. Taylor looks at him. Capt. Taylor: Kaye move us out of the nebula, nice and slow power the phaser banks and load the forward torpedo bays just in case it's not a friendly vessel. Kaye inputs commands into the helm. Ens. Kaye: Moving slowly out of the nebula cloud now Captain. The viewer shows the clearing of the nebula and it reveals a fleet of Dominion/Cardassian Warships. Capt. Taylor: Red alert! Lights dimmed and klaxons sound. (End of Act One, Fade out)